A new Lufia game!?, From Square-Enix!?!?! Options

[Little Lynn]

A short article on Famitsu.com has revealed a new Lufia title for an unannounced console. The Japanese title is Estpolis: The Lands Cursed by the Gods. It will be published by Square Enix and made by the development team of the original titles.

It has been over six years since the last Lufia game was released on the Game Boy Advance, although fond memories of Lufia 2 endure for many fans. More details on the new title will be revealed in next week's Famitsu, which will be in stores Nov. 19th.

Oh man, as if the news about a release date for FF13 wasn't good enough for me, the video game industry wants to give me a new Lufia title? It must be my birthday.

Okay, the two Game Boy games were okay at best, but the first two for the Super NES were and frankly still are some of the finest examples of how an extremely simplistic storyline can still be engaging and enjoyable. If this latest installment plays anything like either (or both) of the original Super NES titles, than this has "win" written all over it regardless of what console it's on.

Thoughts, folks? I know I'm not the only excited to hear this.

[amaro57]

Dang, I don't have a PS3 and the announcement for FFXIII brought my spirits down. But if their making a new one, I just hope to god it'll come with a ported version to the Wii! I tried the GameBoy and wasn't through but the Fortress of Doom and Rise of the Sinistrals were pretty good. I shall start praying... <|O

[PhantomH]

I always thought the series was dead, because it's been quite some time since the release of the GBA title. Hopefully, JUST hopefully they reveal the mystery surrounding Arek. IIRC, he was going to be in the canceled project that Lufia 3 was supposed to be, and the only other appearance he has made in the series was in the intro to Lufia 2 (What has he been doing during the 300 years anyway?).

[sillypieman]

=] This is amazing (and VERY surprising) news....this thread title really caught me off guard haha.

I can't see them making it for any console other than DS or MAYBE PSP, honestly...I don't really think Lufia would work too well in the current gen consoles.

[darksojahxgurl]

I am a serious fan of the first 2 Lufias - especially the Lufia 2 Rise of the Sinistrals. The following Lufia titles has been disappointing...

I hope this one can match or surpass Lufia 2 in music, story, and puzzles.

[Garlyle]

I'm not excited. Lufia 2 was a work of art, but there's a reason a lot of people don't even know there's more than 2 Lufia games, and it's because the later entries never came anywhere close to being as good.

I can see it potentially being good, but again, I'm not expecting anything. Perhaps to save myself from disappointment.

[gunsage]

Lufia 1 and 2 were great, with the second obviously being insanely better. I'd recently written an article stating Lufia was probably dead because, well...the last company to have the rights was Atlus and they botched the GBA one, at least in my opinion. I did like the GBC one, but it did seem very Lufia-like to me. That was the strangest part...the GBA one was more Lufia-like to me, but it sucked. In any case, while I'd love for it to be a hit, I'm not getting my hopes up because of one reason: Square-Enix.

Now, no, I don't hate S-E. Far from it, actually (greatly anticipating FF13). However, I do feel the need to point out that Grandia 1 and 2 were awesome and while I never tried Xtreme, I've heard mixed things. That said, S-E fronted the Grandia 3 project...and it kinda sucked. Sure, it has its moments, but still. That and both Star Ocean 3 and 4 were very lacking as well and those were both S-E, not just Enix and Tri-Ace like the first two. I'm not saying they can't surprise me with a hit as I really want them to, but I'm not getting my hopes up here.

[Milton Monday]

I seem to be alone in thinking the GBC game was as good as the first two. Sure, the random dungeons got really tedious, but the game hit every other point right on. The story was charming and humorous despite Natsume's iffy translation, the battle system was, and still is, one of the most intricate and best designed battle systems for any portable RPG, and it was easily one of the best looking and sounding games on the GBC. The GBA game, on the other hand, just flat out stank. Why Atlus wasted time localizing that turkey is beyond me.

Also, I'm sure Square-Enix isn't actually developing the new game; Square-Enix bought out Taito a couple years ago and has been publishing almost all of their titles since, but as far as I know, Taito's development team is still completely separate from the rest of Square-Enix.

[Lato]

Hmm well this is interesting, first I loved the ones for GBA that's what got me into the series, its unique, however they have been making really bad series games for awhile now, like the whole shinning soul, shinning moon thing was just terrible not to mention a few others. Im looking forward to it though cause it is a big name.

[Little Lynn]

There is some concern about it, and I can't say I blame any of you. Still I'm not going to say anything until I know a bit more about it.

I can't see them making it for any console other than DS or MAYBE PSP, honestly...I don't really think Lufia would work too well in the current gen consoles.

I also suspect it'll probably be another portable. My money's on the DS, personally.

And maybe I'm just being hopeful, but perhaps if it IS a DS title, Nintendo will release the first two on Virtual Console to hype it? Sadly, they don't ever seem to have all that much tact in the releases of their VC titles, so I guess it's wishful thinking. But I'll continue to hold out hope.

[Adriantepes]

Lufia 1 and 2 were great, with the second obviously being insanely better. I'd recently written an article stating Lufia was probably dead because, well...the last company to have the rights was Atlus and they botched the GBA one, at least in my opinion. I did like the GBC one, but it did seem very Lufia-like to me. That was the strangest part...the GBA one was more Lufia-like to me, but it sucked. In any case, while I'd love for it to be a hit, I'm not getting my hopes up because of one reason: Square-Enix.

Now, no, I don't hate S-E. Far from it, actually (greatly anticipating FF13). However, I do feel the need to point out that Grandia 1 and 2 were awesome and while I never tried Xtreme, I've heard mixed things. That said, S-E fronted the Grandia 3 project...and it kinda sucked. Sure, it has its moments, but still. That and both Star Ocean 3 and 4 were very lacking as well and those were both S-E, not just Enix and Tri-Ace like the first two. I'm not saying they can't surprise me with a hit as I really want them to, but I'm not getting my hopes up here.

Gunsage, While you do have a valid point (Sqaure enix aern't very good at handling sequels.) I have gotta disagree with star ocean 4. I like that game alot... But it might just be my obsession with the soundtrack.

And the new Lufia game? Nothing can compare to Lufia 2, sure. But don't get down. the more anticipated the fans get, the harder the company will try and put out an awesome game. (*Cough* unless there activision *cough*)

[Nommy]

Such nay-sayers. How blasphemous.

Lufia 2 is epic goodness and, imo, one of the best, if not THE BEST RPG for the SNES. Genesis didn't have many good RPGs, did they? There was Phantasy Star 2 & 4 (What is this number - 3 people keep bringing up?), but other than that, there wasn't much...

Sword of Vermillion? Eh... Didn't the main character end up with his sister at the end?

D&D: Warriors of the Eternal Sun? It was fun... and it had it's merits, but it wasn't epic goodness....

[Milton Monday]

Genesis didn't have many good RPGs, did they?

There was also the Shining series (Shining in the Darkness and Shining Force 1 and 2), Shadowrun, a way better version of Ys 3 than the SNES got, Wonderboy in Monster World, Exile, Beyond Oasis, Crusader at Centy, Might and Magic 2, and, if you count the Sega CD, there's also the Lunar games, Shining Force CD, Popful Mail, Dark Wizard, Vay, and Eye of the Beholder. That's not even all of them, just the ones that came off the top of my head. The Genesis is an extremely underrated system for RPGs.

[Nommy]

I'll have to try some of those out, but I can't say I expect much.

And shining force is a strategy/rpg. Much heavier on the strategy part.

Like FFT, it goes with strategy.

[PhantomH]

From the latest Famitsu scan:



Although I can't read any of it, a translator has confirmed that the new Lufia game will be for the DS. I'm one happy DS owner right now .

EDIT: Here's another scan:

Estpolis Scan

[Little Lynn]

I'm one happy DS owner right now .

You and me, both!

EDIT: Here's another scan:

Ooh! Based on the little screenshot there, this looks pretty impressive graphically for a DS game. Graphics aren't all that important to me personally, but I'm going to remain optimistic and interpret that as they're going all out in every category... hopefully.

[Milton Monday]

Apparently this is a remake of Lufia 2 as an action RPG.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3176979

[sillypieman]

OOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! Yaaaay! I'm soooooooooooooooooo excited omg =O

Here's some more stuff...this one has Maxim...or is it Guy, I forget lol.
http://blog.livedoor.jp/htmk73/archives/1040982.html

[PhantomH]

That's Maxim. The main characters can always be identified by their red hair, while their love interests are identified by their blue hair (Never understood why Selan's sprite has green hair when her official artwork shows her with blue hair).

EDIT: Here's a trailer I found on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeYscQUHWnc

IMO, it doesn't really look like a Lufia anymore, but still looks like an awesome game to me regardless. I'll leave the judgment up to you guys.

[sillypieman]

Hmm...not as excited =/ lol. It's a crazy action RPG now I suppose...oh well, I'm sure it will still be good.